PRESTON, England, an important manu facturing town of Lancashire, 28 miles north east of Liverpool, on a height above the north bank of the Ribble, near the head of its estuary, and on the London and North-Western and the Lancashire and Yorkshire companies railways. The river is spanned by five bridges. The handsome central railway station cost about $1,000,000. Other important buildings are the Gothic town-hall; courthouse, in the Doric style; a new infirmary, the house of correction, the custom-house, corn-exchange, new gas offices, large and handsome market-shed, ex tensive barracks workhouse, theatre and as sembly-rooms; the Literary and Philosophical Institution, provided with a library and mu seum; the Harris Institute of Literature, Art, Science and Technical Instruction (formerly the Mechanics' Institute, and now greatly en larged) ; The Free Public Library and Museum, in the Grecian style, with many valuable paint ings, etc. The ecclesiastical edifices include a number of Established churches, beside Roman Catholic and other chapels. Among the former Christ Church is admired for the purity of its Norman architecture; and the parish church, which has been rebuilt in the decorated style of the 14th century, with a spire 196 feet high, is also a fine building. Saint Walburge's Ro man Catholic Chapel, which has a beautiful spire 306 feet high, ranks as the most splendid place of worship in Preston. The town is sup plied with water from reservoirs situated near Longridge, 18 miles northeast of Preston with a capacity of 405,000,000 gallons. On the south side of the town are two beautiful public parks, and on the north side is the Moor Park. The original staple manufacture of the town was linen, which is still woven, but has been completely eclipsed by the cotton manufacture, especially spinning, first introduced in 1777.
There are engineering works, machine-shops, iron and brass foundries, boiler works, brew eries, malt-houses, roperies, tanneries, etc. A considerable shipping trade is carried on, though it was long obstructed by the condition of the Ribble. Since 1884 the river has been canalized and large docks have been built and a very considerable increase in the trade has taken place. Preston and Lancaster are connected by canal.
Preston is said to have risen on the decay of Ribchester, the Roman Rigodunum, situated about 11 miles farther up the river. Its name, originally Priest's town, it owed to the number of religious houses which it contained. About 600 it was a Saxon settlement; in 1322 it was taken and burned down by Robert Bruce; in the great Civil War it espoused the Royalist cause, and suffered severely during the contest, having been twice captured by the Parliamen tarians, who on the latter occasion were headed by Cromwell in person ; in the rebellion of 1715 it was occupied by the Jacobite forces, who erected barricades and made a brave resistance, but were ultimately obliged to surrender. Modern Preston is a Parliamentary borough, returning two members. Its municipal govern ment is in the hands of a mayor, 12 aldermen and 36 councillors. Pop. about 117,113. Con sult Clemesha, H. W., 'A History of Preston in Amounderness) (in 'Publications of the University of Manchester, No. 67, Historical Series No. 14,> Manchester 1914) ; Fishwick, H., 'History of the Parish of Preston> (Roch dale 1900) ; Whittle, P., 'History of the Borough of Preston> (2 vols., Preston 1837).